Key Questions to Ask When Ordering polyvinyl alcohol powder

When we develop products, we stick to these 3 principles:

With competitive price and timely delivery, henggu jianxin sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

1. It has to biodegrade (that means it will decompose into reusable nutrients)
2. It has to have an eco certification (meaning the ingredients that make our products are 3rd party accredited, so they are best in class for you and our planet)
3. It’s gotta be plastic free (both to reduce the carbon footprint and, again, to biodegrade)

When we started developing our plastic free liquid dish soap, we wrestled with what plastic alternatives we could use to store it.

The first option we explored was PVOH, PVA, or PVAL - otherwise known as Polyvinyl alcohol.  

PVA/PVOH gained popularity with Dishwasher pods and has since been used to contain a variety of Dishwasher, Laundry detergents and Shampoos for a number of ‘eco brands’, including both 'pods' and also 'laundry sheets', which are becoming increasingly popular.  

PVA/PVOH is technically 'plastic' because it is pliable - bendy and stretchy - but it's not the same plastic as a plastic bag because of what happens to it when it contacts water.

Many companies claim PVA/PVOH is ‘biodegradable’, but when we started digging deeper, this ‘eco-claim’ wasn't so cut and dry.

Why?

In our research, PVOH does not biodegrade so much as it dissolves into a "non-harmful" monomer, and while those molecules can biodegrade, the time it takes for them to actually biodegrade is a little foggy.  Years, decades, 100 years or more?  Our research wasn't able to provide any conclusive timelines. 

Advocates for PVOH say this is not a problem and it’s a lot better than having mounds of 'solid' plastic floating around the ocean, but it still is leaving ‘something’ behind.  

In a recent Journal article from the Royal Society titled: Microplastics and synthetic particles ingested by deep-sea amphipods in six of the deepest marine ecosystems on Earth, Scientists from Newcastle University conducted what they consider to be a more comprehensive study of microplastics in our Oceans by exploring the ingestion of micro plastics in deep sea trenches.  

By focusing on the deepest reaches of our Oceans, we are better able to glean just how far microplastic pollution has travelled.

“A subsample of microfibres and fragments analysed using FTIR were found to be a collection of plastic and synthetic materials (Nylon, polyethylene, polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylchloride, often with inorganic filler material), semi-synthetic (rayon and lyocell) and natural fibre (ramie). Notwithstanding, this study reports the deepest record of microplastic ingestion, indicating that anthropogenic debris is bioavailable to organisms at some of the deepest locations in the Earth's oceans.” (A. J. Jamieson, L. S. R. Brooks, W. D. K. Reid, S. B. Piertney, B. E. Narayanaswamy and T. D. Linley, The Royal Society Publishing, February 27th, ).

PVOH IS OIL BASED = NOT CARBON NEUTRAL

The other challenge with PVOH is that it is derived from petrochemicals (oil based and therefore against dev principal 2).  That said, right now, it's really hard to avoid petrochemicals - hence why we are in the climate crisis we are currently in - because even most 'plant based' cleaners (including our own) contain small amounts of petrochemicals.   

Given the unknowns about biodegradation, long term impacts and the reliance on petrochemicals, we chose not to use PVA/PVOH and instead developed our own pod made from all natural materials.  Materials we were already familiar with from our other products - beeswax and other naturally occurring oils, waxes and resins.

What’s great about natural materials is that you don’t need a pile of research to figure out if they decompose - you can just toss them in the earth and know they'll go away.

1. They cost more:  R&D is time consuming and expensive.  We are still in the early stages of developing our pods and there are many improvements to be made - both from the design/materials and the manufacturing - and so that means we can't make them as cheaply as their PVA/PVOH counterparts.
2. There is still 'waste': While the pods are natural and they can be repurposed, reused and composted, there is still 'waste' left behind.  PVOH on the other hand just dissolves.

When it comes to 'price', we did come up with a work around through the Plastic Free Club, but we feel that if we really want to make a change, we need to hit the MASSES and that requires a major drop in the price.  

And this has led us back to a core question.  Should we re-visit PVA/PVOH?

It’s definitely a step forward from traditional plastic, and we're already exploring an improvement that could see a similar film made without oil, but that is a couple years out (at best).  In the meantime, we are left deciding:

PVA is a unique synthetic polymer known for its versatility and a range of applications, from adhesives to textiles and even eco-friendly packaging. The classification of PVA as a plastic can be a matter of debate, primarily due to its unique properties.  Unlike conventional plastics, it easily dissolves and is invisible to the naked eye due to is high solubility in water. This would not qualify it as a micro plastic but potentially the concern would be does it build up when used in exceeding high numbers?  

BENEFIT OR DANGER?

The main question for us would be: If used over time by millions or billions of people, would this material build up in our clean water source and potentially become a toxic problem? Its ability to dissolve easily in water making it likely to absorb contaminates keeping it in high concentrations. PVA also displays foaming properties in large bodies of water hinder natural wildlife which is very concerning. Right now it does not appear there are enough studies to reveal a definite answer other than- it currently biodegrades. A study conducted by Michigan State University consider it highly biodegradable but do not mention compostable. So we tread lightly and avoid its use awaiting more information on its benefits. As you know we support non-industrial compostable over the general term of biodegradable.

OUR PLASTIC DEFINITION

There are so many chemical modifications used to create products we created an ever-growing list of plastic common names. By our definition if a product is a synthetic polymer, made from petroleum derived sources, and cannot safely integrate back into the environment (toxic) by normal everyday exposure, then it is a plastic. Currently PVA is made from oil and is a polymer so it already falls into the category for a plastic to us here at DEW MIGHTY.

Are you interested in learning more about polyvinyl alcohol powder? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

COMMON PRODUCTS USING PVA

Adhesives:Glue That Bonds It All: PVA-based glues, often referred to as white glue or wood glue, are a staple in homes, schools, and workshops. They are known for their strong bonding capabilities and are commonly used for crafting, woodworking, and DIY projects.

Packaging "Eco-Friendly Solutions": PVA is making waves in the packaging industry, especially in the quest for eco-friendly alternatives. Water-soluble PVA packaging materials, like dissolvable pouches, are gaining popularity so check with the brand if you plan to avoid it.

Pharmaceuticals Binder in Medications: PVA can be found in pharmaceutical tablets and capsules, where it acts as a binder, helping to hold the active ingredients together.

Personal Care Products Capsules for Convenience: Next time you use a shampoo or body wash capsule, you likely are handling PVA. These clear and shiny capsules often use PVA for their water-soluble packaging. Check with the brand if they found a unique alternate source or if PVA is their way of making the product. Labeling guidelines suggest they do not need to tell you the materials in their packaging since it is not considered an ingredient in their formula.

Paper Coating Enhancing Paper Quality: PVA is used as a coating agent for paper, improving its surface properties, printability, and overall strength

Food Industry Edible Innovations: PVA is a versatile ingredient in the food industry, where it is used to create edible films for products like breath strips and dissolvable pouches for powdered supplements.

Detergents and Cleaners Cleaning Made Easy: PVA-based films play a role in dishwasher and laundry detergent pods, contributing to their dissolvable outer casings.

Textiles Intricate Embroidery: Ever wonder how intricate embroidery patterns are created? PVA-based films play a hidden role here. These films are used as temporary support materials for embroidery, dissolving away to reveal the beautifully embroidered fabric. It is also used in other processing and handling for ease prior to a final product.

DOES IT REALLY BIODEGRADE?

The great debate is if the claims made about biodegradation and harm impact to our environment. Most companies selling the technology emphatically say YES and it is because microbes in waste treatment plants are "eating it" and breaking it down. When independent lab studies were conducted on marine water it appears the degradation of the PVA is significantly lowered since marine water PH is greater than 8 and likely to lack the same microbes used to process waste water. This same study also shows some degree of marine toxicity for certain PVA materials and not others. Lastly, The claims of wastewater treatment removing nearly all PVA from our waterways seems to be unlikely. As it turns out, in highly dense populations across the US the waste water facilities tested show PVA is not readily digested by microbes at 100% success rate. There is also sludge and wastewater that does not go through majority of the systems treatment because they are filtered to other use like agriculture. It appears that like most studies, our real life conditions are not optimized to match the biodegradable claims suppliers make on this plastic.

THE QUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION 

PVA is used across nearly every industry. Similar to traditional plastics it is from oil based petroleum and is not classified as compostable. Early on, PVA has found a role in the eco-friendly market for applications, particularly in dissolvable packaging. We hope the brands that adopted this style of product will also stop to do the necessary testing to understand the long term impacts. Does PVA act innocuously or does it harm it over time? Current studies believe it can biodegrade, but as usual we ask- is that really the case in real life circumstances? Polyvinyl uses a petroleum feedstock, it's supported by big oil companies, and that leads us to think are we turning a blind eye to a potential problem? A group of non-profits and companies thing the same thing and filed a petition with the EPA in January . The petition requests under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that EPA require manufacturers and processors of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) affiliated with EPA's Safer Choice certification program to fund and conduct health and environmental safety testing using independent, third-party scientists

GREAT ADDITIONAL READS

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/trending-polyvinyl-alcohol

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S?via%3Dihub

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10./tsd--/html

https://www.mdpi.com/-/18/11/

https://www.mdpi.com/-/13/21/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents//04/27/-/polyvinyl-alcohol-pva-tsca-section-21-petition-for-rulemaking-reasons-for-agency-response-denial-of

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit HPMC solubility chart.